Weight Matters: Download Our Infographic For Accurate Weight Measurement
Measuring and recording accurate patient body weight plays a fundamental role in hospital-based care. It is a vital tool in monitoring fluid balance, calculating medication dosages, nutritional treatment and gauging whether specialist equipment such as profiling beds may be needed. It is also a key measure of a patient’s overall health and wellbeing.
NICE (2006) Guidelines state that each patient should have their weight measured on admission, and weekly thereafter. However, research has shown that just 6% of hospitals screen 75-100% of patients for weight and only 49% record patients’ weights across all wards.
Due to ward pressures, time restraints and lack of suitable equipment, obtaining an accurate weight for all patients can often prove to be a difficult task and as a result of all of these factors, estimated weight has become common practice amongst clinicians.
The risks associated with estimating patient weights are significant as it can adversely impact patient outcomes, potentially resulting in more complex care interventions and in worse case scenarios can prove fatal. For us here at Marsden, #WeightMatters. This is about impacting change and ensuring that better outcomes are obtained for all patients. No longer should clinicians guess the weight of patients.
To learn more about the risks of inaccurate weights and how they can be addressed, download our white paper and corresponding infographic. The aim of this document is to share the impact of gaining accurate weights and bring focus to the potentially fatal consequences of an inaccurate weight. For this reason, we would like you to share this with all of your colleagues, management teams and improvement services.
Measuring and recording accurate patient body weight plays a fundamental role in hospital-based care. It is a vital tool in monitoring fluid balance, calculating medication dosages, nutritional treatment and gauging whether specialist equipment such as profiling beds may be needed. It is also a key measure of a patient’s overall health and wellbeing.
NICE (2006) Guidelines state that each patient should have their weight measured on admission, and weekly thereafter. However, research has shown that just 6% of hospitals screen 75-100% of patients for weight and only 49% record patients’ weights across all wards.
Due to ward pressures, time restraints and lack of suitable equipment, obtaining an accurate weight for all patients can often prove to be a difficult task and as a result of all of these factors, estimated weight has become common practice amongst clinicians. The risks associated with estimating patient weights are significant as it can adversely impact patient outcomes, potentially resulting in more complex care interventions and in worse case scenarios can prove fatal.
For us here at Marsden, #WeightMatters. This is about impacting change and ensuring that better outcomes are obtained for all patients. No longer should clinicians guess the weight of patients.
To learn more about the risks of inaccurate weights and how they can be addressed, download our white paper and corresponding infographic. The aim of this document is to share the impact of gaining accurate weights and bring focus to the potentially fatal consequences of an inaccurate weight. For this reason, we would like you to share this with all of your colleagues, management teams and improvement services.